China's Olympic hockey hopes rest on North American talent

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

When Chris Chelios and the U.S. went on a run to the Olympic final in 2002, son Jake was front and center in Salt Lake City, dreaming of one day following in his father's footsteps.

Twenty years later, Jake Chelios is in the Olympics — but not the way he ever envisioned. He is one of seven Americans playing for China at the Beijing Games, part of a team made up of mostly foreign players who will be counted on to keep the host country from being blown out in its own buildings.

"I think half the family was a little confused of what was going on at first, but now they’re starting to understand how special it is," said Chelios, who moved to Beijing in 2019 to play for China-owned Kunlun Red Star in the KHL. "Since we’ve been over here for three years, whatever it is, you do start to feel a closeness to China. We’ve been eating Chinese food, we’ve been living the Chinese culture, so there’s a certain closeness you start to feel with China, and you start to feel like you’re actually going to represent them and you want to win for them."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

China players listen to their coaching staff during a men's hockey practice session at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Of the 25 players on China's men's hockey roster, 18 were born in or grew up in North America — if not both — and one is Russian. Many, including American goaltender Jeremy Smith and Canadian defenseman Ryan Sproul, have no Chinese ancestry or connection to the country before joining Kunlun.

International Ice Hockey Federation rules allow players to represent a country if they've spent at